Fulbright Scholar Program - Climate Changehttp://www.cies.org/tags/climate-change
enFulbright NEXUS: Climate Change and Food and Water Securityhttp://www.cies.org/article/fulbright-nexus-climate-change-and-food-and-water-security
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>Rachel Garrett, NEXUS U.S. grantee<br />
Member of the Climate Change and Food and Water Security research team</em></p>
<p>The Fulbright NEXUS Climate Change and Food and Water Security group, comprised of an economist from Jamaica, a plant biologist from Mexico, an engineer from Brazil, and a geographer from the United States, recently spent a week in Mexico to better understand coffee production systems and challenges to farmers’ livelihoods in the face of climate change. During this trip we visited two very different coffee regions – Cuetzelan del Progresso, Puebla, located in in a remote colonial village in the mountains, and Coatepec, Vera Cruz, abutting the highly urbanized state capital of Xalapa.</p>
<p>Over <img alt="" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__4872 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="315" src="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/NEXUS_Photo2_1.jpg" style="float:left" typeof="foaf:Image" width="420" />the course of the week we spoke to farmers, farm group leaders, government officials, and researchers in Puebla and Vera Cruz and learned that small farm size, deflated coffee prices, low processing capacity, and non-existent government support have been a constant threat to the continued viability of coffee farming in these regions since the early 1990s. We discovered how sensitive coffee production is to environmental conditions: how altitude influences flavor, how coffee trees need a very particular distribution of rainfall to produce high quality beans – drought-like conditions followed by steady rainfall during the flowering period, how a rare snowfall can stall production for the next two years, and how just the right amount of shade is needed – enough to protect the plant from high temperatures, but not so much that it encourages coffee rust. A seemingly impossible balance between coffee farmer, forest, and the larger climate system must be achieved in a narrow band of montane farmland in the Sierra Madre Oriental. In fact, environmental conditions are so central to the indigenous Nahua worldview that one farmer told us that the Nahua people view “Water as a subject not an object” and “Trees as living beings that shouldn’t be cut without apology.” Tlaloc, the rain god, features prominently in their mythology for good reason. He will make or break their harvest.</p>
<p>Enter climate change, which is already redistributing rainfall into the dry season and raising temperatures, potentially contributing to the rapid spread of coffee rust, a fungus that thrives in warm, wet conditions. How do the farmers cope with these changes? “With courage in their hearts,” as we heard from one expert. Farmers are already pressed to their limit; squeaking out a living on their small resource base, with few opportunities for technological improvement. In the short-term, farmers seek to offset lower coffee yields and low prices for conventional coffee beans by identifying niche markets for high quality beans within Mexico and European markets, where coffee prices are higher and more stable. Quality distinctions and premiums are achieved by creating a strong regional brand or pursuing organic practices. In the longer-term, farmers’ ability to adapt will be related to their ability to work as a group to overcome limited government support and research to identify technological solutions to maintain or improve current levels of high quality coffee production. We were blown away by the high level of social cohesion and optimism that the farmers’ groups demonstrated, including the Tosepan Titataniske Cooperative in Cuetzelan del Progresso and the Regional Coffee Council of Coatepec, and their commitment to finding solutions to the deepening financial and environmental challenges faced by farmers.</p>
<p><figure class="image attr__format__media_original img__view_mode__media_original img__fid__4870 attr__typeof__foaf:Image media-image" style="float:right"><img alt="" height="263" src="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/NEXUS_Photo1_0.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="350" /><br /><figcaption>Joao Pinto (Brazil), Erick de la Barrera (Mexico),<br />
Sharon Nelson (Jamaica), Rachael Garrett (USA)</figcaption><br /></figure></p>
<p>Over the next two years, we hope to visit more coffee farmers and experts in Puebla and Vera Cruz. In the meantime, we will be visiting two additional sub-tropical coffee production regions: the Blue Mountains of Jamaica and Minas Gerais, Brazil. From our comparative case study between Mexico, Jamaica, and Brazil we hope to learn more about how state level distinctions in infrastructure and policy, local variations in culture, management, and social capital, and differences in microclimate influence coffee farmers’ ability to cope with and adapt to global climate change.</p>
<p>The Fulbright Regional Network for Applied Research (NEXUS) Program links early or mid-career academics, applied researchers and public policy professionals across the Western Hemisphere. A cohort of twenty grantees from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru and the United States have been selected and appointed to research teams organized around the following themes: renewable energy, including micro-grid innovations, social and behavioral adaptation to climate change, measuring climate change and its impact, and climate change and food and water security. Combining a series of three seminar meetings with a research exchange in the region, scholars will cultivate partnerships with local, national and regional stakeholders, linking science and policy through innovative projects with long-term regional impact.</p>
<p>Two prominent experts, Dr. Daniel Kammen from the United States and Dr. Sergio Pacca from Brazil, serve as Distinguished Lead Scholars for this cohort, providing intellectual leadership to the research teams.</p>
<p>For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.cies.org/program/fulbright-nexus-regional-scholar-program">http://www.cies.org/program/fulbright-nexus-regional-scholar-program</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/nexus" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">NEXUS</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/applicants" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Applicants</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/climate-change" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate Change</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-resources-for field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Resources For:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/resources/alumni-peer-reviewer" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Alumni &amp; Peer Reviewer</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/resources/applicants" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Applicants</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/resources/grantees" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Grantees</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/resources/institutions" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Institutions</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/resources/posts-commissions" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Posts &amp; Commissions</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/NEXUS_Photo1.jpg"><a href="/article/fulbright-nexus-climate-change-and-food-and-water-security"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/NEXUS_Photo1.jpg" width="640" height="480" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/article-category/blog-post" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Blog Post</a></div></div></div>Thu, 26 Mar 2015 21:19:36 +0000Sarah.Rose86901 at http://www.cies.orgPerspectives from 2012-13 Fulbright NEXUS Grantees http://www.cies.org/article/perspectives-2012-13-fulbright-nexus-grantees
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>Interviewees, Dr. Sharon Gourdji and Mr. Mathias Craig, highlight their Fulbright experience emphasizing the innovative and collaborative nature of the Fulbright Regional Network for Applied Research (NEXUS) Program. </em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/images/NEXUS1.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href, 'NEXUS1', 'resizable=no,status=no,location=no,toolbar=no,menubar=no,fullscreen=no,scrollbars=no,dependent=no,width=704,height=409'); return false;"><img alt="" height="210" src="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/images/NEXUS1.jpg" style="float:right" width="374" /></a></p>
<p>Dr. Sharon Gourdji is a postdoctoral scholar working in the Center for Food Security and the Environment and the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University. She received a combined Master’s Degree in Applied Economics and Natural Resources and Environment, and a PhD in Environmental Engineering, from the University of Michigan.</p>
<p>Mr. Mathias Craig is the Executive Director of blueEnergy, a social impact organization that connects the poorest, most isolated communities to energy, clean water and other essential services, and trains leaders to work globally for a more sustainable, equitable world. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.</p>
<p>The two scholars collaborated with five other NEXUS grantees on the group research project titled: <em>Sustainable Development Opportunities at the Climate, Land, Energy and Water Nexus in Nicaragua</em>. They recently published their <a href="http://clas.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/shared/docs/papers/ShirleyWorkingPaper%2002-18.pdf">research results</a> at the University of California, Berkley’s Center for Latin American Studies.</p>
<p><strong>Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself, including your background and why you applied to the Fulbright NEXUS program? </strong></p>
<p><strong>SG: </strong>I have a broad environmental science background, and I’m familiar with the interdisciplinary approaches required to solve environmental problems, many of which are rooted in specific socioeconomic contexts. I have worked on projects related to large-scale water infrastructure development in India, atmospheric monitoring of carbon emissions and the biospheric carbon cycle, and most recently, the impacts of climate change on global agriculture. The Fulbright NEXUS program gave me the opportunity to return to my primary interest in agriculture, specifically water and food security in the developing world, in a region close to home and where I speak the language! I am also convinced that the NEXUS model is the best way forward for using the power of science to address complex social and environmental problems.</p>
<p><figure class="caption" style="float:right"><img alt="" height="351" src="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/images/NEXUS2.jpg" width="234" /><br /><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Mary Evans</figcaption><br /></figure></p>
<p><strong>MC:</strong> I have always had an interest in Latin America. My mother is a linguist specializing in indigenous languages of the Americas and through her work I had the opportunity to travel extensively in Latin America as a child. In school I studied civil and environmental engineering and became very interested in water and energy development. My current work on energy, water and climate change in Nicaragua with <a href="http://www.blueenergygroup.org/">blueEnergy</a> grew out of these experiences and interests. The NEXUS program was a natural fit for me given the 2013 focus areas of renewable energy, entrepreneurship and climate change. I was excited to have the opportunity to take a step back from my operational work, think about the big picture of energy service provision in isolated places and to network with accomplished colleagues throughout the hemisphere. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to look at old issues from new perspectives and to see how the different sectors I am interested in connect.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Q: In your own words, what is Fulbright NEXUS? What is its significance for the Western Hemisphere? </strong></p>
<p><strong>SG: </strong>Fulbright NEXUS is an academic exchange program that differs from the traditional Fulbright model, in that it is trying to build collaborative networks dedicated towards solving social and environmental problems in the Western Hemisphere. The strength of the program is that it builds networks in two ways: 1) by promoting collaboration through group work among scientists that come from different Western Hemisphere countries and different disciplinary backgrounds, and 2) by developing relationships between scientists and stakeholder organizations in specific regions that are the focus of the research. Both of these types of networks are critical for harnessing the human capital and ingenuity required to solve complex social and environmental problems that cut across sectors and borders. The Western Hemisphere is lucky to be the pilot region of the world for this program!</p>
<p><strong>MC</strong>: The Fulbright NEXUS Program is a collaboration and innovation model for the 21st Century. It is about inter-disciplinary teams doing inter-disciplinary research that will directly inform decision-making to improve lives in the Western Hemisphere and globally. It addresses the complexity of our times head-on and delivers concrete results. By engaging mid-career professionals who are already having important impact in their own fields, NEXUS provides them with a platform to greatly expand their reach and impact. Furthermore, the scholars act as catalysts, drawing in colleagues, students and other institutions into their research, leading to long-standing, deep relationships that stretch beyond the time horizon of the program itself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Q: How does the NEXUS program respond to and/or fit in with current global realities, thinking in terms of both science and diplomacy? </strong></p>
<p><strong>SG: </strong>For issues like ensuring food and water security in the face of a changing climate, transitioning to low-carbon energy sources, arresting deforestation or even confronting social problems like inequality and violence, there is a need for both technical solutions, as well as inclusive, fair and democratic political processes that are capable of using scientific information that is constantly being updated as the world evolves. The Fulbright NEXUS program makes an initial step towards helping to re-orient scientific endeavors in the region towards applied work, in concert with stakeholders having decision-making authority. These cross-border relationships can help to keep open lines of communication when politics starts pitting different countries, interest groups and sectors of society against one another. Scientists also tend to have a relatively in-depth understanding of the societies where they come from, and can help to explain these cultural nuances to their fellow scientists in other countries, in order to help find fair and functional solutions.</p>
<p>In terms of global realities, our world is increasingly interconnected, making it hard to isolate most social problems in a geographical sense. Many of the complex environmental and social problems tackled in NEXUS, even if rooted in a particular place, require at least an awareness of the regional and global context.</p>
<p><figure class="caption" style="float:right"><img alt="" height="249" src="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/images/NEXUS3.jpg" width="374" /><br /><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Mary Evans</figcaption><br /></figure></p>
<p><strong>MC</strong>: The Fulbright NEXUS program is the right model for our times. Many of the problems we face are complex, trans-national, and inter-sector and solving them will require us to step out of our sector silos and to learn to work in teams, often with flexible control structures. This is not easy; in fact, it is quite hard. But that's why programs like NEXUS are needed, to train the next generation of leaders who can bring their sector expertise to the table and learn to work in dynamic teams to create real solutions to today's challenges. The Fulbright NEXUS program is also vital because it goes beyond connecting scientists in different scientific disciplines to connecting scientists with policy-makers. This encourages the scholars to think about how their work can see the light of day, something that is in much need.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Q: What advice would you give others if they are considering applying for the Fulbright NEXUS program? </strong></p>
<p><strong>SG: </strong>I would advise anyone interested in applying for the Fulbright NEXUS program that they should have a sincere interest in and commitment towards doing collaborative research with other scientists, and in connection with local stakeholders, which can make an actual dent in solving complex social and environmental problems in the Western Hemisphere. None of these are easy tasks, and therefore, this is where the motivation, sincerity and hard work come in!</p>
<p><strong>MC</strong>: The NEXUS program is an amazing opportunity to learn how to work effectively in teams. This is hard work and you should come prepared to do as much work on team building and team dynamics as you will on the actual research. But I think this a plus. Learning to work in dynamic, cross-sector teams with flexible control structures is one of the most valuable skills you can build for the world we live in. Finally, it is a great opportunity to expand your global network outside of your silo and outside your country. Take full advantage of this by spending the time to get to know your colleagues and paying close attention to them when they are presenting on the phone and when you have opportunities to meet in person. Even those working on things seemingly unrelated to your work can spark creative ideas in you and the dots may connect sometime down the road.</p>
<p>To hear more from the 2012-13 cohort, watch <a href="http://www.cies.org/article/fulbright-nexus-scholarship-informing-policy"><em>Fulbright NEXUS: Scholarship Informing Policy</em></a>.</p>
<p>The 2014 Fulbright NEXUS Program competition is currently underway. For more information on eligibility requirements or how to apply, please visit <a href="http://www.cies.org/NEXUS">http://www.cies.org/NEXUS</a> or email <a href="mailto:FulbrightNEXUS@iie.org">FulbrightNEXUS@iie.org</a>. <strong>Deadline: April 1, 2014.</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/nexus" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">NEXUS</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/western-hemisphere" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Western Hemisphere</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/stem" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">STEM</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/climate-change" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate Change</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/environment" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Environment</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/nexus%20blog%203.jpg"><a href="/article/perspectives-2012-13-fulbright-nexus-grantees"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.cies.org/sites/default/files/nexus%20blog%203.jpg" width="780" height="520" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/article-category/blog-post" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Blog Post</a></div></div></div>Fri, 07 Mar 2014 20:57:57 +0000Mandana.Nakhai66452 at http://www.cies.orgFulbright NEXUS Scholars Meet in Medellin, Colombiahttp://www.cies.org/article/fulbright-nexus-scholars-meet-medellin-colombia
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><div class="mceTemp" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arimo-1, arimo-2, 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">
<p><a href="http://fulbrightscholarblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/nexus-fish-pic.jpg"><img alt="Image" height="367" src="http://fulbrightscholarblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/nexus-fish-pic.jpg?w=650" width="279" /></a></p>
<p>U.S. NEXUS Scholar, Katie Arkema on assignment in Colombia where she is doing work on the environmental services that coastal and marine ecosystems provide.</p>
</div>
<p>J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Chairman, Tom Healy, and Fulbright Colombia Executive Director, Ann Mason, will welcome officials from the U.S. Department of State, Fulbright scholars and guests to Medellín, Colombia for the Fulbright Regional Network for Applied Research Program (NEXUS) midterm meeting on Sunday, April 21, 2013. Medellín was chosen as the site for this meeting because it is widely regarded as one of the most innovative cities in the world with respect to its economy, urban development and technology.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.cies.org/NEXUS/">Fulbright NEXUS Program</a> is a network of 20 scholars and practitioners from the United States and other Western Hemisphere nations engaged in collaborative thinking, problem-solving and multidisciplinary research on climate change adaptation strategies, all with a public policy focus. Hosted by <a href="http://www.fulbright.edu.co/">Fulbright Colombia</a>, the four-day meeting will allow NEXUS scholars to meet with influential stakeholders from a variety of sectors to discuss the challenges associated with climate and environmental problem-solving. <a href="http://www.cies.org/NEXUS/Lead-Scholar/">NEXUS Distinguished Lead Scholar</a>, Dr. Daniel Kammen of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, will lead the group in identifying and developing solutions to the most pressing environmental issues in the region.</p>
<p>In addition to thematic group sessions, panel discussions and individual consultations, NEXUS scholars will share updates on their individual research projects, addressing any challenges they are facing in completing their research, and will receive group input on their projects moving forward. Special guests, Sergio Fajardo, the Governor of Antioquia, Colombia, Carlos Fonseca, the Director of the Colombian Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (COLCIENCIAS) and Pablo Ortega, Director of RutaN, a smart building that houses the innovation strategy for Medellín, will discuss issues relating to energy, the environment and innovation within the Colombian context.</p>
<p>The midterm meeting will lay the groundwork for scholars to develop a clear plan of action for the final NEXUS meeting in September 2013, to be held in Washington, DC.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/climate-change" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate Change</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/colombia" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Colombia</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/nexus" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">NEXUS</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tags/western-hemisphere" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Western Hemisphere</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/article-category/blog-post" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Blog Post</a></div></div></div>Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000CIESwebmaster35154 at http://www.cies.org